Monarda plant named ‘Allbell’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Monarda  plant named ‘Allbell’, characterized by its upright plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Monarda didyma.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ALLBELL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Monardaplant, botanically known as Monarda didyma, typically grown as a cutflower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Allbell’.

The new Monarda plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Cuijk, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new Monarda plants with attractiveflowers and good postproduction longevity.

The new Monarda plant originated from an open-pollination in September,2011 of a proprietary selection of Monarda didyma identified as codenumber 11-6-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with anunknown selection of Monarda didyma, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thenew Monarda plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedopen-pollination grown in a controlled nursery environment in Cuijk, TheNetherlands in September, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Monarda plant by softwood cuttings inCuijk, The Netherlands, since April, 2013 has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Monarda plant are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Monarda have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Allbell’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Allbell’ as a new and distinct Monarda plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Red purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Monarda differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Monarda have darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Monarda and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have purple pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Monarda can be compared to plants of Monarda didyma‘Saxon Purple’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants of thenew Monarda differ from plants of ‘Saxon Purple’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Monarda have darker green-colored leaves        than plants of ‘Saxon Purple’.    -   2. Plants of the new Monarda and ‘Saxon Purple’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Saxon Purple’ have bluish purple-colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Monarda plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Monarda plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plantof ‘Allbell’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during August in ground beds in anoutdoor nursery in Nakuru, Kenya and under cultural practices typical ofcommercial cut flower Monarda production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 5° C. to 15° C. Plants were six months old whenthe photograph and the description were taken. In the detaileddescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Monarda didyma ‘Allbell’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Monarda            didyma identified as code number 11-6-2, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Monarda            didyma, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—By softwood cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at            temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four to            six weeks at temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 30° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright plant            form; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 105 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 34.5 cm.        -   Branch description.—Branching habit: Freely basal branching            habit with few lateral branches. Length: About 91.9 cm.            Diameter: About 4 mm. Internode length: About 11.7 cm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Sparsely            to moderately pubescent. Luster: Slightly glossy. Color:            Close to 144C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 10.4 cm.        -   Width.—About 5.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Base.—Obtuse to short attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately pubescent;            slightly rough.        -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; pleasant, spicy.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,            close to 177D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 138A; venation, close to 145B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color,            upper surface: Close to 177D. Color, lower surface: Close to            145B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower form, arrangement and flowering habit.—Single labiate            flowers arranged in terminal globular spikes; flowers face            outwardly; freely flowering habit with about 96 flowers            developing per inflorescence; flowers sessile.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering habit, plants            flower from mid-July to mid-September in The Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Cut flowering stems maintain good            substance for about one to two weeks; flowers not            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; pleasant, spicy.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate; curved. Color: Close to 64A to            64B; immature calyx, close to N186C and towards the base,            close to 59D.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 5.1 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.5 cm.        -   Flower length (vertical).—About 1.7 cm.        -   Flower diameter (horizontal.—About 6 mm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 3.4 cm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Labiate; upper lip hooded; lower lip, a            single lobe; lips fused 55% of total length. Length, upper            and lower lips: About 3.2 cm. Width, upper lip: About            1.5 mm. Width, lower lip: About 7 mm. Shape, upper lip:            Lanceolate; apex, emarginate. Shape, lower lip:            Oblanceolate; apex, caudate. Margin, upper and lower lips:            Entire; lower petal, undulate. Texture, upper and lower            lips, upper and lower surfaces: Moderately pubescent.            Luster, upper and lower lips, upper and lower surfaces:            Dull, matted. Color, upper lip: When opening, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 60C. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 60C; color does not fade with            development. Color, lower lip: When opening, upper surface:            Close to N57A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 60D.            Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N57B; color does not            fade with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to            60D; color does not fade with development.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: About five in a single whorl; lower 85%            fused into a tubular calyx. Length: About 1.05 cm. Width:            About 1 mm. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color: When opening,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to N186C; towards the base,            close to 59D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to N186C; towards the base, close to 185C.        -   Inflorescence bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About 18 at            the base of inflorescence. Length: About 3.9 cm. Width:            About 1.7 cm. Shape: Ovate to narrowly ovate; apex, acute.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to 64A. When opening            and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation,            close to 152D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.            Filament length: About 1.5 cm. Filament color: Close to 73C.            Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly            elliptic. Anther color: Close to N77B. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 156D. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: One. Pistil length: About 3.4 cm. Stigma shape:            Cleft, unequal. Stigma color: Close to 72B. Style length:            About 3.1 cm. Style color: Close to N74C; towards the base,            close to 155A. Ovary color: Close to 145D.        -   Seed and fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Monarda.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Monarda not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Monarda    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Monarda have exhibited good    tolerance to rain, wind and high temperatures about 30° C. and to be    hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Monarda plant named ‘Allbell’ asillustrated and described.